ch. vn] Botanical Description of Species 



71 



young shoot. Sheath split. Leaf-blades rather narrow, dry and 

 scabrous on the upper surface; generally tending to fold or 

 roll up, ribless, but keeled below. In outline they are very 

 similar to those of Poa pratensis. Upper ligule long; ligule to 

 basal leaves short; auricles wanting. Two or three varieties 

 occur varying chiefly in the length or breadth of the leaf-blades. 





5 L 



Fig. 54. Tuft of Arrhen'Uherum avenaceum, Beauv. var. bulbosum. 

 " Onion C^uch." 



Flowers about June ; culms erect, smooth, finely striated, 



from 18-24 inches high. Panicle erect, rather close and almost 



simple. Spikelets large, oval, 3-6 flowered; empty glumes 



unequal, acute, and keeled, with a prominent nerve on either 



side of the keel. The upper and larger glume is of a purple 



colour below, and silvery-white and membranous above and along 



its margins. 



